


The Hikawa Crime Family

by Nothyd



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Eve is very OOC, Gen, Hina especially, Organised Crime AU, Sayo and Hina are not good people, everyone is probably a little ooc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:33:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24064372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nothyd/pseuds/Nothyd
Summary: The Hikawas are this city’s worst kept secret. They have their hands in everything, from drug trading to politics. It’s said that they who control the Hikawas, control the world - and that’s not far from the truth. It’s a great privilege to be able to do business with them, and an even greater one to work for them. The last mistake one could make would be to betray the Family.
Comments: 14
Kudos: 73





	1. Exile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, thanks for checking out my work! I honestly have no idea where this idea came from, I probably just saw some fanart of delinquent Sayo and then decided to make this a thing. Eve is super out of context in this work, I just liked the idea of our Bushido Warrior being a stoic bodyguard and ran with it. Also, for plot reasons, consider any speech in italics (that isn't onomatopoeia) to be spoken in actual English.
> 
> Content Warning: Blood, self-mutilation

“Are you ready Hina? You don’t need anything from the car do you?” Three figures in suits stood in the dark entryway, going through their equipment.

“All good here sis!” Hina beamed, twirling a butterfly knife in her right hand. With her open collar and tie halfway down her shirt, she was the opposite of her sister in more than just name alone. In the darkness, Sayo could barely make out the shape of a hammer in her sister’s other hand. Grimacing to herself she turned to their bodyguard, “Eve, make sure Hina doesn’t end up hurting herself,”. The white haired guard nodded in response and the two headed towards their target after Sayo waved them off.

She took a few deep breaths before heading down the same corridor. Much like Hina, she had her own assignment and she had no intentions of falling behind her younger sister. The baseball bat she had been holding in both hands dropped to her side, scraping against the floor as she walked. While she didn’t need to compensate for being the smallest person in the building anymore she still found comfort in her old habits. She paused in the doorway, rolling up her sleeves, as she heard the rattle of handcuffs against a pipe.

“You and your friends are dead!” the man shouted at his unseen assailant, “Do you even know who I am? I’ll have you all hunted, and then your families and…” his tirade was cut short as Sayo stepped into the moonlight that fell through the roof. “I imagine that’d be quite difficult, Ishigami-san” she said, still dragging the bat behind her. The man’s eyes widened, “Hi-Hikawa-san, I-”, he fell silent.

“No, no, don’t worry about that. It has been a while after all,” Sayo dropped the bat, and crouched down to meet the man’s eyes, “Now all you need to do is answer some questions, and we’ll be on our way” her lips turned upwards into a smile that failed to reach her eyes.

“Do you think we’re stupid?” the man looked at her face to betray some kind of emotion, a smirk or a grin to show that this was all just one bad joke, that he had been abducted and chained in a run down industrial building for some prank but in Sayo’s glare he found no such luck - he simply looked to the floor.

“Ishigami-san, you’ve worked for us for a long time now. You know the consequences of betraying us and yet...,” Sayo stands back up and gives the bat a few practice swings, inches from the man’s face, “So I’ll ask you again. Do you think we’re stupid?” 

“Of course no-!” he yelled as the bat’s first swing landed in his gut, winding him. Sayo pulled back the bat, readying another swing. She couldn’t go for the man’s face but he had four limbs that weren’t yet broken. He screamed again as the bat crashed into his shin. “You’ve committed a grave sin, Ishigami-san. It would be best for all of us if you just confessed,” Sayo prepared another swing, with the angle his arms were at she would probably cause a fracture. Broken bones would make it difficult for the man to receive his punishment, but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make - hearing the sinner’s confession was the only reason she was here.

A sickening crunch resounded across the room as the bat met the man’s leg again. _Shit, he’s supposed to walk out of here_ Sayo faltered for a second, but the pain of a compound fracture was enough to start the man talking, “T-trafficking!” he pleaded with Sayo, “it’s an enormous market and we’ve not even touched it - it’s senseless!”

“What’s senseless,” Sayo rebutted, “is your blatant disregard for Our rules. Father made it clear that trafficking would never be allowed as long as he is the head, did he not?” she tilted her head to the side, considering her options. Ishigami had once been integral to the foundations of the Hikawa Family as a facilitator of their drugs trade and now here he grovelled, a sinner awaiting punishment.

Sayo considered one of her restructuring plans, cutting all of their drug dealers loose and reinvesting the infrastructure across the other facets of the business. The poachers seemed to turn quite a tidy profit for how small that faction was within the Family, imagine what they could do with twenty times the men they currently have.

“If it were up to me, you’d be dead by now,” Sayo stated, “but Father still holds you in high esteem. Do you remember when we first met, Ishigami-san?”

Ishigami looked up at Sayo with hope in his eyes for the first time that night. That day the head of the Hikawa Family entered Ishigami’s building with his two daughters by his side, asking him, _him,_ to teach his daughters the ways of the Family - in some ways Sayo owed her presence here to him.

“I’ll give you the same options you gave that traitor,” she said. Remembering the event from 8 years ago as if it was yesterday. “What happens next is up to you” Sayo reached into her jacket pocket, pulling out a set of keys. After freeing the man, she strode to the opposite side of the room and removed her knife from its sheath on her ankle. It clattered and spun across the floor until it landed in Ishigami’s hands. 

Crestfallen, he looked at the knife. Were he anywhere else, was this anyone else, that knife would be plunged into their guts and he’d be on his way. But his experience told him that he’d be dead before he was able to rise to his feet if he tried anything so stupid. He placed the knife at the base of his smallest finger, readying himself, “how many years?” Sayo broke his concentration with a simple question. He looked up, confused.

“How many years have you worked for us?”

“32 years, _Miss Hikawa_ ” 

“I’ve changed my mind,” Sayo smirked, “Let’s make it one for every 10 years you’ve served us shall we?” 

“...Certainly” he gritted his teeth and howled as the knife worked through skin, muscles and bones to sever his fingers from his hand. Ishigami didn’t stop screaming as his hand bled onto the floor, “You’ll leave this place before the Cleaners arrive. And you’ll leave this city before the sun rises. I don’t need to tell you what happens if you come back.” Sayo picked up the severed fingers before she left, proof of a job well done. 

“That was so boppin’ sis!” Sayo winced as her sister yelled in her ear, the twins were heading back to their car, Eve bringing up the rear to protect her charges from any potential threats “You were all ‘you’d be dead by now muguu~’ and he was shaking like ‘no please don’t hurt me’ and-”

“Thanks Hina, we don’t need the play by play” she turned to Hina, “Are you okay?!” realising the red staining her shirt, Sayo started checking Hina over for wounds, “Eve what’s the meaning of this?!” 

“Haha, sis don’t worry about it!” Hina took a moment to relish the attention before reassuring her sister, “he lunged at me and I went _shwoop_ and he just bled all over me” she mimed the action of slashing with her knife and then imitated her target bleeding out. Sayo sighed as concern morphed into frustration.

“I must apologise Hikawa-sama,” Eve bowed deeply towards Sayo, “I failed to keep your sister safe. I will accept any punishment you deem worthy for such a failure,”

Sayo rolled her eyes, Hina didn’t exactly need protecting, “Your job,” Sayo glared at Hina, “was to get information, Father made it clear that we could still use them,” Hina just grinned back, oblivious to the gravity of her actions. Sayo’s lecture was interrupted by a confusingly nostalgic ringtone from Eve’s phone.

“Is that dad?” Hina yelled trying to be picked up on the call, “Tell him Sayo has three whole fingers to add to his collection!” The colour from Eve’s face drained before she meekly replied and hung up the call. Sayo looked at their bodyguard, her expression made it clear exactly why that ringtone was so nostalgic. 

“It was,” Eve took a moment to compose yourself, “Mother. She wishes to see you both over coffee tomorrow at noon.” Hina’s grin fell from her face as Sayo gazed off at the horizon.

“...Shit.”


	2. No Place Like Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's nothing graphic this chapter it's (mostly) pretty chill. I've updated the tags according to who appears in this chapter. Again, speech in italics is spoken in English - you'll understand when you get there.

Three security cameras, one public entrance, forty two seats and the scent of freshly ground coffee - Sayo surveyed her surroundings carefully before approaching the counter and giving her order, an espresso and a slice of red velvet cake. Arriving this early was perhaps a tad excessive but the warm atmosphere of the cafe provided a much appreciated change of scenery from her cramped apartment. She really needed to unpack those boxes sooner rather than later.

“Oh, can I get your name?” the barista’s olive eyes met Sayo’s. Was there a hint of recognition there? Surely not, this was the first time Sayo had stepped foot in this store.

“Hik- Sayo, just, Sayo” she replied, blushing slightly when the barista giggled.

“Well then, Just Sayo, I’ll let you know when your order’s ready. We’re just putting the finishing touches on today’s batch of cakes so it shouldn’t be too long!” Sayo rolled her eyes as she muttered her thanks. She looked for somewhere far from the windows that made up the front of the shop and suitably far enough from the door. A table with two seats in the far corner of the store caught her eye, other than being dimly lit it was the perfect spot. 

A quick glance at her watch showed that she still had about two hours left before her scheduled meeting. If the report in her bag was anything to go by, Ishigami’s exile would have far reaching consequences to this district, as well as the Family as a whole. But that still left the question of why Mother would even bother herself with something this trivial. 

“Just Sayo!” a jovial voice broke Sayo’s concentration. She sighed as she got up to approach the counter, her inner pedant couldn’t help but narrow her eyes slightly as she glared at the barista.

“Oh, lighten up, you’re way cuter when you smile!” she teased, causing Sayo’s face to turn as red as the cake she had ordered, “Oh by the way, we’ll be closing earlier than usual today, our owner has a hot date at noon.” Bewildered by her server’s behaviour, Sayo returned to her table to finally get through that report.

More customers entered as the day progressed, and the once quiet ambience of the shop was slowly transformed into the familiar bustle Sayo had expected of such a well known cafe. Without any notice, the buzz around the store was almost entirely silenced. Hushed whispers crept around the store as all the customers were transfixed by the three people who had just entered the store. The barista behind the counter turned on her heel and ran into the kitchen behind her, the panic on her face managing to force a smile out of Sayo. 

“Sis!” Hina bounded towards her and enveloped her in a bone crushing hug, Sayo cursed herself for not choosing a more inconspicuous place to sit before finally meeting the eyes of her mother. The twins were always told that they resembled their mother a great deal so much so that the only defining feature separating the eldest Hikawa from her daughters was a shock of grey through her teal hair. Sayo took pride in the way her stare could silence a room, but she had nothing on her mother. The contempt in her eyes as she glared at her daughters could’ve melted right through them.

“I-I’m so sorry!” two brunettes ran out of the kitchen and bowed deeply. The one with shorter hair trembled slightly as she raised her head, “Welcome to Hazawa Coffee, Mrs Hikawa.”

“Ahaha, Tsugu you’re so tense!” Hina released her sister before returning to her mother’s side, tilting her head whilst she observed the flustered owner. By this point, customers had started to filter out of the store under Eve’s watchful eye. The woman who had served Sayo looked between Sayo, Hina and their mother whilst piecing together exactly who she had been teasing just a few hours ago. 

“Not to worry, I neglected to notify you of my plans,” the twins’ mother spoke with a sense of refinement that carried with it an air of authority, “How are your parents enjoying retirement?”

“I think they’re having fun, at least when they’re not helping me with the store I guess,” the embarrassment on Tsugumi’s face grew as she started to fiddle with the straps of her apron.

“Nonsense, there’s no greater joy a parent has than helping their own children,” Sayo glared at her mother, “I only wish my daughters could be as reliable as you.”

“Ahaha, feel free to take any seat, Lisa and I will prepare your usual order,” Lisa, the woman who had served Sayo earlier, nodded to Tsugumi before returning to the machine behind the counter. A quick glance their way summoned the Hikawa twins to a table in the center of the cafe. The three Hikawas sat together at the table, the only noise through the cafe was the whirr of the coffee machine and the clink of cutlery. Sayo looked at her sister to find her leg incessantly rocking under the table, she glanced over to where Eve was standing on lookout. With her back to the family, she was obviously prepared for any threat but Sayo couldn’t help but feel that there was something else to her behaviour that she couldn’t quite recognise.

The agonising silence was broken with the arrival of their order. Their coffees were paired with far too much cake for only three people, Sayo felt a twinge of guilt at the realisation that they were probably the cakes intended for customers throughout the rest of the day. Hina grasped Tsugumi’s wrist before she could take her leave, “Tsugu! Mom’s going to be holding a boppin’ birthday party for us next week, why don’t you come along?!” the young owner’s eyes grew wide as she started to process exactly what Hina had asked of her. Sayo was about to intercede on Tsugumi’s behalf until her mother spoke.

“Yes, you should bring along your friend there as well,” she pointed to Lisa, “she seemed to have been getting along well with my eldest daughter after all,” Sayo felt embarrassment surge through her as she recalled their earlier interactions, her mother continued, “In fact why don’t you two take this time to get prepared?” she handed them a card, not even waiting for their answer, “this boutique has the most wonderful dresses, if you tell the owner I sent you, he’ll know what to do.” Tsugumi took the card in her trembling hands before looking over to Lisa who gave her a nervous thumbs up.

“Oh… thank you so much!” she bowed once more, “We’ll take our leave then.” Eve held the door open for the two workers as they hurried out of the door. “ _So how did you enjoy your time abroad Sayo?_ ” Sayo lifted her eyes off of the floor, her mother was taunting her.

“Surprisingly, _I quite enjoyed leading a normal life,”_ her mother laughed mirthlessly at that and Sayo noticed Hina’s fist clench under the table, “ _but surely you didn’t call us here, scare all the customers half to death and kick those two out of their own store just to catch up with your failure of a daughter?”_

“You’re quite right,” their mother looked both of them in the eyes for the first time that day, “I wanted to warn you, in person,” Sayo could practically hear Hina shaking beside her.

“There’s been some… complications in the Family. Factions are developing that have been growing more dissatisfied with our actions each day. They wouldn’t dare target your father or myself, of course, but for you two it’s a different story,” Sayo swore she saw concern on her mother’s face for the first time in her life, “basically, I want you to watch your backs.” Out of the corner of her eye, Sayo could see Hina’s frustration rising.

“And since when were you even remotely concerned for our wellbeing?” Sayo rebutted.

Her mother smirked, “I’ve realised you two will be quite useful in the future, if you died now it would ruin my plans.”

“Bullshit!” Hina jumped to her feet. Her chair fell to the ground as the tray on the table went flying to the side, “you come to see us just to say that?!” tears were welling up in her eyes, “you send sis away for three years, and now you pretend you care about her?!” her words became less legible as her voice grew, all the while trembling as adrenaline and anger surged through her veins. Sayo was about to interject when her mother stood and approached Hina. 

She held the collar of her youngest daughter’s shirt with one hand, calmly observing her. With a swift punch to the gut, Hina crumpled to the floor coughing up spittle. “Mess up like you did last night and I’ll make sure to kill you myself,” she looked down at her daughters, “I’ll see you next on your birthday. Oh, and do clean up this mess before you leave, it would be uncouth of us to give poor Tsugumi-chan and Lisa-chan more work to do.” Without looking back, she strode out of the cafe.

Sayo crouched next to her sister who started trying to form an apology before she was silenced by her sister’s arms wrapping around her and holding her close. “Eve, you two should stay with me for the time being. If what mother said was true, we’ll need to be a lot more vigilant from now on,” Eve nodded before the three returned the cafe to its former state.

Sayo crept around the boxes that still littered her apartment. She sent a nod of greeting to Eve at her front door before approaching the couch. Under a ragged old blanket and illuminated by the moonlight, Hina was sound asleep. Almost reluctantly Sayo shook her awake, Eve had to have been awake for at least 36 hours by now so it was only fair that she got some rest. Blinking sleep out of her eyes, Hina sat up, “aha, I was really dumb today wasn’t I?” she stared blankly at the window. Sayo frowned briefly before taking her sister’s hand, leading her to the front door. Eve held the door open for them as they approached but Sayo relieved her of her duty, “we’re going to the roof, would you like to join us?” Eve paused for a second before nodding, a small smile forming on her face.

A district power saving initiative meant that during the late hours of the night, the street lights would be turned off around Sayo’s apartment. Without the artificial orange and yellow from the ground to overpower the faint glow of the stars, the sky would be painted with the brilliant blues and deep purples characteristic of the Milky Way. Sayo crossed her fingers, praying that the skies weren’t overcast, as she swung open the heavy steel door.

Hina’s eyes sparkled as she ran out onto the roof, a deep blue sea gave the perfect backdrop to a myriad of stars. Smiling to herself Sayo laid out a blanket, taking a seat and beckoning her guard to sit with her. She looked up to the sky, whilst the stars may have differed in England, they were no less beautiful and comforting back home. 

Hina joined the other two on the blanket with a satisfied hum. With the comfort of each other’s company, the three sat gazing at the sky until Eve chuckled, “you two almost got me killed the last time you did this.” Sayo and Hina both laughed.

“You’re the reason we got caught!” Hina continued laughing, “mom and dad would never have found out if you weren’t chasing after us the entire time.”

“If I remember correctly, you managed to follow us through the entire forest without us even noticing,” Sayo mused, “you never fail to impress.”

“I- It’s my duty to ensure you two are safe!” Eve replied, growing increasingly flustered.

“And to rat us out,” Hina joked as she took her place on the blanket. The three laughed together as they looked out at the sky. Sayo felt a weight on her shoulder as she turned to see Eve’s sleeping face. She nudged Hina who immediately draped her jacket around their guard’s shoulders. 

There may not have been a meteor shower that night, but Sayo couldn’t help but think that the stars had never looked more beautiful. Regardless of the threats that loomed over them she had never been happier to be back home with her sisters by her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy this one ended up longer than I expected, I considered posting the final scene as a sort of chapter 2.5 but I think it fits well here. Just a heads up that Chapter 3 may be a bit late, I'm trying to stick to a weekly schedule on the releases but my project presentation is due alarmingly soon and its my final bit of work before I graduate so I kinda wanna nail it as best I can. This chapter actually took me quite a while to nail down for some reason, so it's quite the relief to get it posted.


	3. A Birthday Under the Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sayo's always hated parties, how kind of her mother to invite her to one just weeks after she got back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene in this chapter basically spawned this entire work although it ended up working out a little differently than I initially envisioned it. I feel like I shouldn't apologise for this chapter being late but I'm still going to do it. The next chapter should be out at its usual time of ~00:00 BST on Friday. (Also I haven't mentioned it till now but all the characters are ~21 years old)
> 
> No CWs this time.

Hina bounced around the store with glee, weaving her way through the busy aisles and filling their cart in the blink of an eye. After a week cooped in her apartment Sayo was also appreciating the opportunity to stroll around outside, even if it was for something as mundane as stocking up for the next week. She raised her eyebrow as Hina returned with a sixth bag of chips who pouted in response before trudging back to replace them.

Orange and red dyed the sky as the two reluctantly made their way back home. Sayo froze as Hina latched onto her from the side in a slightly uncomfortable embrace, “We’re being followed,” Sayo’s protest was silenced by Hina’s revelation. By now she knew better than to doubt Hina’s observations so she continued walking as her grip on their shopping tightened. A glance backward confirmed Hina’s statement, one man who looked ever so slightly out of place had his hand to his ear, communicating that he had spotted his marks. The two momentarily racked their brains before deciding on their best option.

As soon as they rounded a corner they dashed down the street. Hina gestured to an alleyway and Sayo pivoted to follow her. Sayo glanced behind her to find that they had lost their pursuer, for now. They kept running, getting back home was off the table until they were sure the coast was clear. Hina scanned the area before skidding to a stop in front of a door, she reached into her pocket and unlocked the door, pulling her sister in after her.

“Should we go out and kill them?” Hina asked, the room they had entered was narrow and dark, Hina had her ear pressed to the door.

“I’d rather not make a fuss if we can avoid it,” as Sayo’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could make out shelves stacked to the ceiling with baking ingredients. Her hand drifted down to the knife at her ankle as she heard footsteps approaching from outside. The two looked at each other as they prepared to blitz their pursuer. The footsteps were getting closer. 

Light burst into the room as the door on the other end swung open, “H-Hina-san?! How many times-” Sayo clamped her hand over the owner’s mouth as they stood, still as statues in the storage room. After what felt like hours, the footsteps receded and Sayo awkwardly apologised as she removed her hand from Tsugumi’s face. 

Steel countertops and huge ovens lined the walls of Hazawa Coffee’s kitchen. “Tsugu this cake is so good!” Hina shouted, kicking her legs back and forth as she perched on one of the countertops. 

“How many times have I told you to let me know before you sneak into the shop?!” Tsugumi’s face reddened slightly as she feigned frustration. Sayo paused to consider just how long the two had known each other, Lisa mentioned that Hina had been visiting the cafe ever since she had left but the scene unfolding in front of her left her with an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Hina leapt off of her perch and grasped both of Tsugumi’s hands in her own. She explained their situation as Tsugumi’s eyes widened in concern, another surprising development to Sayo. “Okay, you two stay here as long as you need to,” Tsugumi’s eyes filled with determination, “you can even stay the night, there’s plenty of room upstairs!”

“Geez Tsugu, I leave for 5 minutes and you’re inviting people to sleep with you?” the door to the cafe opens as Lisa bounces through, “everything’s packed up by the way.” She laughs at Tsugumi’s flustered face as she removes her apron, taking notice of the cafe’s impromptu guests. “Oh hey you two, looking forward to your party tomorrow?” Sayo groans as she fights the urge to slam her head into a wall. 

The ensuing conversation is brought to a close when a call from an increasingly concerned Eve beckons the twins home. After apologising for the intrusion, Sayo leads her sister out of the cafe. “How, exactly, did you manage to get that key Hina?” she pondered as they walked home.

“Oh, Tsugu had a problem with this guy a while back,” Hina explained, “he used to lurk around outside the shop and she thinks he broke in one time and stole a bunch of her stuff,”

“She had a stalker?” Sayo tried to mask the concern in her voice.

“Hm, maybe. He stopped showing up after I got the key,” Hina paused for a second, as if trying to remember something, “well, maybe after I caught him breaking in and I beat him up,” there was obviously too much here for Sayo to unpack. Eve greeted them once they got home with dinner and Sayo, exhausted from the day’s events, turned in early. 

Sayo impatiently tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, the car in front of her stalled in the darkness waiting for its entry to be approved by two men in suits. From the way their jackets deformed at the waist, Sayo could tell that they were armed with pistols. “Tsugu and Lisachi will get here in an hour,” Hina called out from the backseat, looking up from her phone. Eve currently had her hands full with organising the night’s security detail, Sayo had suggested that she head to the villa ahead of them but after yesterday’s events she insisted that she stay by their side until they had arrived at the party. The two men beckoned them forward, and as the headlights illuminated them Sayo failed to recognise them. Regardless, as soon as Sayo wound down the window they let her in with a deep bow. Father had trained them well at least.

The light of the chandelier hanging down from the ceiling reflected off of the polished marble floors, painting the room in a harsh white light. The entrance hall was littered with partygoers, although the main bulk of people would be in the reception hall just at the top of the grand staircase. Eve quickly hurried off to her post as hushed whispers followed the twins as they made their way to the reception hall. 

A man with greying sweptback hair descended the stairs, a lopsided smile forming on his face as he greeted his newest arrivals. Sayo winced as she noticed the scar that disfigured the left side of his face, but returned the smile as he embraced the two of them. “It’s so good to see both of my girls again!” he exclaimed, quickly beckoning over two flutes of champagne and placing them in the twins’ hands. 

“It’s good to be home, Father,” Sayo bowed slightly, causing Hina to giggle, “did you receive my armoury request earlier?”

“Ah yes,” he paused in a way reminiscent of Hina, “you’ll find them in your car when you head back for the night. But enough of that, today is a day for celebration!” he lifted his glass before downing it, prompting his daughters to follow along.

The reception hall was somehow more ostentatious than the entrance hall. Ceiling to floor windows flanked the sides of the room, overlooking the perfectly maintained gardens. Partygoers flocked to the open bar at the farside of the room, where three men made and served drinks with professional ease. At the centre of the hall, Sayo noticed her mother commanding the attention of a few people who she recognised as government officials. She quickly waved the group off before approaching the rest of her family.

“Ah, I see we’ve all met up. How nice,” she barely bothered to hide her grimace, “Sayo, why don’t we go talk about your armoury request?” she gestured to a door at the back of the hall. Sayo took a deep breath before nodding and following her parents. Hina’s attempt to follow them was cut short by a pointed glare from her mother. 

“Good work on the Ishigami case, Sayo” her father poured whiskey into three glasses before taking his seat on the other side of the table, he looked regrettably at her, “I’m glad it was you who dealt with him,”

“You expected him to betray us?” She gazed into the brown liquid in her glass, avoiding her parents’ eyes.

“It was inevitable,” her father always had a keen intuition when it came to people, a skill that seemed to have bypassed both her and Hina, “he was a narcissist. Intelligent, resourceful but still loyal to a fault - he’d have done anything for us.”

Sayo’s eyes narrowed as she tried to focus on what her father meant. “That’s enough of the pleasantries,” her mother’s harsh tone shattered her concentration, “I assume you know why you, and not Hina, are here?”

“...Yes,” Sayo replied through gritted teeth, it was always going to come back to this.

“Good. You will return to London in four weeks,” between her mother’s hard stare and her father’s kindly gaze, she wasn’t sure which one she hated more, “you’ll return as a director on the board,”

“And when will I be able to return?” her mother’s laugh was enough to confirm her suspicions. The whiskey burnt as she took a sip, her efforts to stop herself from shaking were in vain. She stared at the table between them.

“Sayo,” that kind voice again, “if you do this, we can finally put Hina at the head of the Family. We can keep her, and Eve, safe,” _we_ can keep her safe. Sayo rose to her feet, glass in hand. Wordlessly, she left the room and closed the door behind her. She downed her drink and hurled the glass at the door. The satisfaction of watching it shatter into a myriad of pieces quickly disappeared as she felt the eyes of everyone in the reception hall on her. Whispers and nervous laughter filled the hall but they were barely audible over the sound of her own heart, pounding as if it was in her skull. With her head down, she rushed through the hall. Out the main doors, push past Hina, take a right, past the guards, up the stairs. She knew the layout of her old home like the back of her hand but she still repeated the directions to herself. Over and over, blocking out her parents’ voices, blocking out Hina, blocking out her own failure until she arrived at her destination.

Two doors sat on either side of the long corridor, the window in between them revealed a grim, overcast sky. Sayo inhaled for the first time in hours as she stood at one of the doors. A wave of exhaustion crashed over her as she slumped against the door, taking a seat on the floor.

The clouds parted slightly, allowing a beam of moonlight to illuminate the corridor. Sayo glanced up to see a figure approaching her and she began to regret the fact that her dress left no places to hide a weapon. The figure was getting closer but Sayo’s heartbeat was unchanged, there was no more adrenaline left in her body to course through her. She leaned against the door, willing to accept whatever awaited her. The figure stuck out their arm, a glass of water in its hand. Sayo looked up to meet the same olive eyes she saw yesterday and with a grateful smile, took the glass from her hands.

“Eve seems scary, but she’s really quite sweet isn’t she?” Lisa said, smiling softly as she sat by Sayo’s side. The two sat in silence, with Sayo occasionally taking a sip of water. 

“Where are we anyway?” Lisa looked around the corridor, it was relatively spartan to the rest of the villa. 

Sayo nodded her head forwards, “That’s Hina’s room, and this,” she knocked her head softly on the door behind her, “was mine.” The silence was only momentarily broken.

“I feel like I worked out why Hina looks up to you so much after what happened yesterday,” Lisa mused, “although you may not have put on your finest performance tonight,” 

“It’s my fault,” Sayo chuckled wryly, “what happened yesterday, that is. They’re after me - not Hina,” she exhaled deeply, staring at the back of her hands. “If I just disappeared it would all go away, she could go back to how everything was when I was gone.”

“Do you think that’s what she’d want?” Sayo looked at Lisa, confused, “her eyes were practically sparkling when she told us you were coming home,”

“She deserves better than a fuck up of a sister who’ll only get her killed,” there was no anger in Sayo’s voice, just resignation. It was Lisa’s turn to smile wryly, it was as if she had travelled back in time. But it’d end differently this time, she’d make sure of that.

“Then why’d you come home?” there was no malice in her question but she still rose to her feet. She offered a hand to Sayo, “I don’t need your answer right now, but I think you’ve avoided enough of your own party,” Sayo was stunned. Her parents were right, if she left her sisters would be safe but even after three years had passed, something still tethered her to home.

The clouds had completely parted by now, bathing Lisa in a faint white light. Sayo reached up to take her outstretched hand, and the two made their way back down the corridor. As they approached the staircase leading back to the reception hall, Lisa paused and squeezed Sayo’s hand.

“Can’t believe I forgot to say it until now,” Lisa smiled as she looked into Sayo’s eyes, “Happy birthday Sayo,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks for sticking with me so far, we're about halfway through and I've had a lot of fun writing this up. There's been a lot of fluff this past two chapters but that's going to change real quick >:)
> 
> As always I appreciate your kudos and comments (even if I don't reply to them because I suck at communicating), they give me the much needed motivation to keep on trucking with this series.


	4. Atrocious Raid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went back and fixed the paragraph spacing on all the other chapters to make things a bit nicer to look at, there'll be no more super big spaces between paragraphs.  
> CW: Blood

Three pistols atop a grey cloth greeted Sayo as she swung open the door to her car. She smuggled the guns into her bag whilst scanning the area, it would have been quite inconvenient if her neighbours learnt that they lived in the same building as a daughter of the famous Hikawa Family. She tentatively lifted the grey cloth, revealing a note from her father and three swords in black sheaths. ‘Don’t tell mom!’ was written on the note, eliciting a chuckle from Sayo.

Leaving the parking lot, Sayo grimaced as she noticed the clouds from last night had only grown. Her parents’ proposition still weighed on her mind, living in London and working as a representative of the Family on the board of their shell company would hardly be a difficult job so exactly why the prospect filled her with unease was a mystery. Her time in exile was relatively pleasant, university was a breeze compared to what was asked of her at home and in the three years she was living there not one person had tried to kill her. 

She re-entered her apartment, the swords bundled in the cloth under her arm, to be greeted by the sight of Hina, still passed out on her couch. Since Eve was providing the security detail for the party, they didn’t manage to escape until the small hours of the morning. Not that Hina would have complained, she revelled in Tsugumi’s company all night according to Lisa. “Welcome back,” Eve called out, popping her head around the corner, “what have you got there?”

“Gifts from father,” Sayo replied, stepping over a box to leave the bundle in Eve’s hands. The guard’s eyes lit up as she unwrapped the cloth. “It’s good to see some things don’t change,” Sayo smiled as Eve unsheathed the blade with reverence. Light gleamed off the meter long blade as she tilted it in her hands, inspecting the blade’s edge. Lost in thought, Sayo stared into the space between them. She was brought abruptly out of her musings by Eve thrusting a sword into her hands.

“Let’s spar,” Eve stated before leaving the apartment. Sighing to herself, Sayo couldn’t help but question her father’s gifts. They had practiced with swords for as long as she could remember, but they weren’t the most practical weapon for their line of work. It was much easier to kill people when they were unaware so the concept of training in one to one combat was always lost to her. 

“It’s going to rain,” Sayo remarked as she stepped onto the rooftop, the clouds above threatening to burst at any moment. Eve stood, looking out at the city in complete zen. She turned wordlessly to face Sayo, her eyes burning with determination. Sayo’s remark had fallen on deaf ears. Sayo stepped forward and sighed before unsheathing her own sword. She assumed her stance and the two bowed to each other.

Sayo barely had time to react before Eve’s blade was upon her, she raised her own to parry it, her hands stinging as the two blades clashed. She jumped back to create some space, but Eve was on her as soon as she had done so. Desperately parrying every blow, she lamented how lethargic her movements felt. After three years without practice, her muscle memory evaded her to the point where all she could do was defend and hope for the best. 

“Steel yourself!” Eve barked as she backed away from Sayo, she really was a different person with a sword in her hands. Sayo saw the opportunity to rush forward with a blow of her own, which Eve sent flying with ease before bringing her own blade crashing down. Sayo dodged to the side, the sound of Eve’s sword striking where she was reverberated in her ears. Eve had beat her handedly every time they had sparred like this but in all of their bouts Sayo had never once felt this level of intensity from her. 

Eve stepped back, letting Sayo regain her footing. Sayo felt her grip on her sword loosen as the clouds above opened up, almost instantly soaking them both. She pushed her hair out of her face, her eyes asking Eve if they could quit and go back inside. Eve’s raised sword was the only answer she required. She sighed before raising her own sword, the fire in Eve’s eyes was untempered by the rain. They traded blows once more, Sayo struggled to gain any ground but she managed to keep up with Eve at the very least. Her hands burned with the impact of every blow as she began desperately parrying Eve’s quickening onslaught. Shocks reverberated through her arms as she gave up ground, trying to redistribute the force with her movements. With a final upwards slash, her sword went flying out of her hand clattering as it hit the ground. Sayo fell onto her back breathing heavily. Eve sheathed her sword and smiled at her exhausted partner.

“It’s good to know some things don’t change,” Eve crouched to Sayo’s level, “that look of yours was the same as it’s always been,”

“Am I really that obvious?” Sayo mused, appreciating the refreshing feeling of the rain on her skin. Her hands still trembled by her side as she gazed at the sky.

“The pen and the sword are both essential but some things can only be accomplished with steel,” Eve recited a lesson from their past. Sayo finally saw those words in a different light, as they traded blows she began to understand Eve’s resolve. A resolve she had tempered over three years, born from frustration and regret. 

“Don’t be afraid to lean on us,” Eve answered the question forming in Sayo’s mind before helping her to her feet, “we’ve grown stronger whilst you were away.” Sayo’s brow furrowed, she was more than aware than Hina and Eve would be fine without her. If anyone had stagnated for all this time, it was her. Eve had somehow managed to become even more capable in her absence and Hina had managed to find people who finally understood and accepted her. And here she was, making excuses for herself and shying away from the truth. She couldn’t even bring herself to tell anyone else about her parents’ proposition.

The sound of the door crashing open snapped her out of her thoughts, “Tsugu’s in danger!” Hina cried out. Sayo looked to Eve who nodded at her before the three rushed off the rooftop.

“There’s three downstairs, I can’t tell how many are upstairs, but that’s where Tsugu is,” through the darkness and rain, Sayo could barely make out the figures Hina spotted. Twirling her knife in her hands, Hina ground her teeth. There was no sign of a forced entry, taking the prospect of a random robbery off the table. 

“Use your key, get in through the back. Throw the lights on when you get in,” Sayo ordered and Hina scurried off into the night. Taking care of the intruders on the ground floor without alerting the squad upstairs was imperative. Eve looked at Sayo, studying the tension in her face. This moment just before the operation was the last opportunity she’d have to clear her mind. Sayo inhaled and tried to steady the gun in her hand.

The two slipped inside the cafe, one man stood behind the counter, his back to the kitchen door, the other two stalked the floor of the cafe. Sayo could barely make out the shape of a baseball bat in one man’s hands, and a machete in the other’s. They expected her to turn up.

The lights glared on, Sayo and Eve dove out of their cover aiming at the two men in the center of the cafe. The man behind the counter raised his own rifle at Sayo. “Don’t do anything stupid now,” he taunted. Glaring down the barrel of his gun, Sayo’s remained unfazed as she kept her own trained on the machete wielder.

“I think you’re the stupid one here,” Hina’s knife was at the man’s throat before he could react. She scoffed at how the man squirmed under her knife.

“How many are upstairs?” Sayo asked calmly, “it’d be a shame to waste bullets on amateurs.” The two men in the center of the cafe glanced nervously at each other before pleading with the man behind the counter. 

“T-two, there’s only two!” drops of blood were forming at his neck as Hina tightened her grip on her knife. She grabbed him by the back of the head and slammed it into the counter. Watching their leader crumple to the ground, the other two threw their weapons on the ground.

“Don’t kill us!” they pleaded, Sayo motioned to the door with her gun and they fled. 

“He’s just knocked out sis, he won’t be up for a while,” Hina admired her own handiwork with pride. Footsteps from above dragged their attention upwards.

“Eve, watch the entrance,” Sayo motioned for Hina to lead the way. Her heart pounded in her ears as they ascended the stairs, Hina glanced back at her, fire in her eyes, before rounding the corner.

In the center of the room was Tsugumi tied to a chair by rope. Her eyes widened in relief as Hina rushed towards her. Scanning the room, Sayo could find no sign of any intruders. Behind her gag, Tsugumi tried to call out as Sayo was tackled to the ground.

Pain radiated from her shoulder as she hit the ground, the man above her grinned as he raised his knife. Her hand shot up, catching his wrist before he could bring the knife down into her chest. Her arms shook as she resisted the force from her assailant, at this angle it would be impossible for Hina to get a clean shot, and the pain building in her arms was only growing. The knife was mere inches from her chest now.

Blood spurted onto her face as the man’s arm went limp. His descent was redirected by Hina kicking him off her sister, her knife still embedded in his neck. “Sis you-”

“Where’s the other?!” Sayo’s head snapped around the room. 

“There was only one up here,” Tsugumi was still tied to the chair, “five guys barged in whilst I was closing up, they had weapons and…” 

“Eve!” Hina shouted out before bolting down the stairs, throwing Tsugumi an apologetic look as she did so. Jumping to her feet, Sayo did the same before following her sister.

“Sayo-san wait!” Sayo ignored the young owner’s call as she unsheathed her knife from her boot before descending the stairs. Gunshots rang out from the cafe and Sayo reached the bottom of the stairs to see Eve laying on the ground, a baseball bat discarded at her side. Hina charged out the door, gun in hand.

Breathing a sigh of relief as she felt Eve’s pulse, Sayo’s mind started flying. Something about this wasn’t adding up. They were expected, the weapons they had brought were evidence enough of that but they didn’t even bother to put up any kind of resistance. Retreat was never an option in operations like these, why would they go through all of that effort to bring them here just to run away.

“Hina!” Sayo screamed as realisation crashed over her. The cafe was just bait, and now Hina was charging headfirst into an ambush. Pain radiated from her shoulder as she pursued her sister. The rain made it impossible to see ahead of her but she kept running. Eve was unconscious on the floor of a cafe and her sister was rushing into her death, all because she had come home. Her heart pounded in her throat as she struggled to remember the direction Hina had set off in, the streets becoming indistinguishable as her vision blurred. 

Her legs failed her as she slammed face first into the pavement. Desperately willing herself to get back up, to catch up to Hina, her legs refused to respond. Blood pooled underneath her as she lay on the rain soaked pavement, drifting in and out of consciousness.

_Hina, Eve… I’m sorry._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this one! Look forward to the (probably) final chapter next week.


	5. No Matter the Cost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CWs: Blood, Guns

“Sis, where should I put this?” Behind a tower of boxes, Hina held up a battered looking book. 

“Don’t just go through my things like that!” Sayo massaged the bridge of her nose, “just, sit down for breakfast will you?” The boxes had plagued her apartment ever since she had moved in, but the idea of having to pack them all up again in a few weeks drained any motivation she had to fix that. A slightly dejected Hina took her seat opposite Sayo, regarding her sister’s coffee with disdain.

“Black coffee again? Boo~” she teased.

“And yet you spend all of your free time in a cafe,” Sayo retorted.

“Hmm, well something about Tsugu’s place is just boppin’” Hina smiled fondly, “she at least has sugar and milk with hers,” Sayo scoffed at the offense to her own lifeblood. Nostalgia floated through the air as they appreciated each other’s company. Like any family they would bicker and tease each other and still be able to enjoy these moments together. The situation of the Hikawa Family, on the other hand, was anything but normal. Sayo inhaled deeply.

“Hina, I have something to tell you,” Sayo avoided her sister’s eyes.

“You’re leaving again aren’t you?” she laughed at Sayo’s bewildered face, “that look on your face was the same as always,” Was she really that obvious? She cleared her throat, hoping to relieve some of the tension.

“Yes, in two weeks,” she answered solemnly.

“Hmm, okay! Well it’s not really okay, but” Hina looked up as she rocked back in her chair as if the words she wanted to say were written somewhere on the ceiling.

“But?”

“There’s not much we can do, so why worry about it. Right?” something about her nonchalance unsettled Sayo. Hina had always been carefree and impulsive, but never like this. Still, she couldn’t find herself disagreeing with her younger sister, her fate was set in stone ever since that day three years ago.

“I’m going to go to Tsugu’s now okay?” Sayo could only nod and watch as Hina left. She slumped down in her seat whilst gazing at the closed door, that could’ve gone a lot worse. But of course Hina would have been fine with it, she had others she could depend on now. 

A sudden realisation snapped her out of her reverie. She had just let Hina leave, unarmed and alone. Pain exploded from her shoulder. Eve lay unconscious by the door. 

Sayo sat up with a start, almost instantly regretting it as her shoulder cried out in protest. The smell of freshly brewed coffee permeated the room, wafting in from the hallway. She took a moment to inhale and appreciate the smell before analysing her surroundings. The room was small but well decorated. Cushions and plushes adorned the wall opposite her, and on her left a picture frame sat upon a desk. The light streaming through the window made it impossible to discern what the picture was at the angle she was looking at it from. Hearing approaching footsteps, Sayo’s eyes snapped to the door. She let herself relax as she saw Lisa emerge from the other side.

“How. Could. You. Be. So. Stupid.” Lisa rushed to Sayo’s side, punctuating each word with a light slap on her arm, “you just left Tsugu tied up and ran off into the street?! If I hadn’t been walking by you could have…” tears started to form in her eyes as she refused to finish her sentence.

Sayo found herself stunned for words. Other than passing out in a puddle that was slowly dyed red by her own blood, her recollection of that night was hazy. “Where’s Eve. And Hina?” 

“Eve left an hour ago, she stayed here for a few days-”   
“A few days?!” Sayo tried to get up but the pain refused to let her.

“You’ve been out for three days, Eve fixed you up after she woke up so don’t go trying to undo all of that now!” Lisa scolded, trying to placate Sayo, “Tsugu’s been making lunch, I can bring some through if you want?” Sayo reluctantly nodded. Lisa avoiding the subject was all the answer she needed about Hina’s whereabouts. She could only laugh to herself, not only did she forget to free Tsugumi, she had gotten stabbed, she had left Eve for dead on the doorstep of the cafe and now Hina was nowhere to be found. The excursion could only be described as a complete and utter failure. 

At Lisa’s insistence, Tsugumi joined the two in their small room with food for all three of them. Sayo noticed the heavy bags under Tsugumi’s eyes as they drifted towards the picture on the desk every time she looked up from her plate. Knowing that the emptiness in her stomach would not be filled by food, she set her fork down.

“Hazawa-san, I’m truly sorry,” Sayo bowed her head, “Not only did I fail to free you, I also let Hina-”

“Don’t.” Tsugumi interjected, her voice was strengthened by a resolve Sayo thought was impossible from the young owner, “You can’t blame yourself after what happened to you,”

“But if I had never come back-”

“Sayo-san, please raise your head,” Sayo hadn’t even realised she had been staring into her plate this entire time. Reluctant to meet Tsugumi’s teary eyes, she slowly raised her head. Instead she was met by a soft smile, “she couldn’t have been more happy to have you back here. So don’t you ever blame yourself for coming back home,” the fire in Tsugumi’s eyes had engulfed any retort Sayo could have come up with. 

“Wow Tsugu,” Lisa whistled, “are you a Hikawa-whisperer?” the oppressive atmosphere in the room dissipated with a brief moment of levity. Despite herself, Sayo was laughing at Lisa’s attempt at a joke as Tsugumi’s cheeks burned red. If there was one thing Sayo believed in, it was Hina’s skills. There was no way she died that night.

Sayo turned her head to the sound of approaching footsteps, someone was coming - fast. Eve appeared in the doorway, steadying herself against the doorframe to catch her breath. The blood covering her face caused an alarmed Lisa to jump to her side but she was quickly waved off, “It’s not mine,” Eve stated. Sayo didn’t miss Lisa wince at that. “Hina slaughtered her way through half of Ishigami’s former territory before being captured a day ago.” Sayo cringed, at this point she didn’t exactly consider Lisa and Tsugumi outsiders but she still felt awkward discussing  _ business _ around them. The gears turned in her head until finally clicking into place.

“They want me,” she stated, Eve closed her eyes and nodded. The fact that Hina wasn’t already dead was evidence enough that she wasn’t their goal. They operated in Family territory, so it was most likely some faction looking to improve their standing within the Family. Killing the rightful heir wouldn’t do that, but killing the traitor who wears the mask of a Hikawa would. “Get my things,” Sayo winced as she forced herself to her feet. She wouldn’t be duelling with Eve anytime soon, but she could handle a gun and a knife adequately enough. Lisa and Tsugumi glanced at each other, knowing that any attempt to talk Sayo out of it would fall on deaf ears.

“You better come back Sayo,”   
“I’ll have your usuals ready for you when you get back, Sayo-san,”

Her eyes fell on the picture on Tsugumi’s desk and Sayo grimaced, “She’ll come back, I’ll make sure of it.”

Sayo looked over to Eve in the driver’s seat, they had reached their destination. The warehouse where they were sent for her first assignment in three years. She knew the layout well enough to know where Hina was being held and where she could expect ambushes to be staged. Thankfully, the long corridors and wide open rooms of the building would give long sightlines for any potential ambushes. For close quarter encounters, she’d have to rely on Eve given that her current state barely let her lift her arm above her head without excruciating pain. They performed one last equipment check, Sayo ensured her gun was loaded and her knife was sheathed in its usual place, before leaving the car.

They breached together, Eve taking the fore as Sayo covered her. Stark white lights illuminated the empty corridor, Sayo surmised that the lack of personnel was probably due to Hina’s rampage over the past few days. They rounded the first corner.

“Weapons down. Now.” Sayo recognised the voice of the man before she saw him holding a gun to her sister’s head. Despite the situation she was in, Hina’s face betrayed no emotion other than relief. Carefully, Sayo lay her gun on the ground and Eve’s sword clattered as she dropped it to the ground. He gestured to the two with a heavily bandaged hand, “kick them over, I’m not stupid.” With Hina’s life on the line, they had no choice but to comply.

“I’m impressed you managed to evade detection, Ishigami,” Sayo stated. The distance between them was enough that Ishigami would manage to shoot them dead before they managed to close the distance.

“There’s a lot of us who want you dead, Sayo Hikawa,” the last words of his sentence dripped with contempt, “Even amongst those who your father trusts the most,” Sayo smirked in response, she was right after all.

“My life for hers,” her smirk quickly disappeared as Eve and Hina looked at her, eyes as wide as saucers “that’s why you captured her, isn’t it?”

“You always were my best student, it’s a shame you turned out to be a fuck up,” Ishigami’s men had the responsibility of escorting and protecting her father that night. All fifteen of them were killed. Sayo inhaled deeply as Ishigami pointed his gun at her.

“It was Hina’s fault we failed that mission,” Sayo said through gritted teeth.

“That doesn’t change anything,” Ishigami responded.

“I know, just,” she took another deep breath, “give me a chance to send my regards, one last time.” Hina’s eyes found Eve’s, both were panicking as Ishigami laughed uproariously.

“Very well, you have two minutes,” he kept his gun trained on Sayo as she approached Hina. Hina’s hands and feet were bound in front of her, she could’ve gotten out of the chair she was in but in that state she wouldn’t have made it very far. Sayo grabbed her collar, lifting her to eye level.

“Sis… I’m so-” her apology was cut off by a knee to her gut. She coughed up spittle, collapsing to the ground but Sayo wasn’t done. She drove her foot into Hina’s stomach again and again, fire raged in her eyes as Eve looked on in horror. Accurate to the second, she stopped as soon as her allotted time was up. Hina lay in the fetal position, clutching her stomach. Sayo turned her back to her sister, the exertion had caused her wound to reopen which painted her shirt red with a growing bloodstain. 

“Do it,” Sayo knelt beside Eve, head bowed and eyes shut. Her heart pounded like a drum.

“Well I don’t need to ask for your last words afte-” his taunt was cut off as blood spurted from his mouth. Sayo opened her eyes to see Ishigami fall to the floor, her knife embedded in his back. Hina lay behind him, a smile breaking out on her face as she caught her breath. Sayo rose to her feet and retrieved her gun whilst Eve rushed over to Hina’s side. Ishigami wheezed at Sayo’s feet, the stab wound would slowly fill his chest cavity with blood and compress his lungs until he was unable to breathe. She aimed between his eyes, and fired. A wave of exhaustion passed over her as all the adrenaline in her veins seemed to leave her at once. Her consciousness abandoned her as she saw Hina and Eve rush to her side.

Sayo awoke to the sound of lively chatter from down the hall. She was in the same room she woke up in earlier that day, her bandages had been reapplied by Eve’s expert hand. Following the sounds, she shuffled out of the room. The pain had subsided for now but it would take a while to properly heal. She rounded the corner and was greeted by her sister’s shining eyes.

“Hina wai-” she winced as Hina basically tackled her with a hug.

“Oh, sorry!” Hina laughed sheepishly as she took a step backwards, Sayo couldn’t help but laugh along. They laughed together for a while before Hina led Sayo to the kitchen, “Come on, we’ve got something to tell you,” 

Upon entering the kitchen, Sayo was greeted with her usual order at Hazawa Coffee. She gratefully took them from Tsugumi before taking a seat beside Eve at the table. Lisa sat opposite them whilst Hina clinged to Tsugumi’s arm to drag her away from cleaning the dishes. 

“We’re moving with you!” Hina exclaimed as she slammed her hands down on the table. Sayo sat, mouth agape, trying to formulate a response.

“How did you know?”

“Oh come on, we’re not stupid. You always keep anything like this locked up in that dumb brain of yours,” Hina grinned, “there’s no way mum and dad would be able to keep you here. And now that  _ I’m  _ in danger as well, they have to let me go too!” she beamed as her chest puffed up. Eve smiled and nodded at Sayo who was slowly running out of reasons to doubt that her sister was actually omniscient.

“What about your shop, Hazawa-san?”   
“Well, I’ll have to stay behind to help out the new owners find their footing, so I won’t be joining you immediately but I’d honestly rather not stay here longer than I have to,” Tsugumi looked down at the table and Sayo couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. Being associated with a Hikawa would’ve brought her no small amount of trouble over the past few years.

“And I’ll stay with Hazawa-san until she’s ready to leave,” Eve stated, Sayo smirked a little at that. Eve seemed like she’d fit in great as a barista at Hazawa Coffee.

“As for me, well I can’t just leave my adorable boss to set up a shop in another country all on her own,” Lisa teased. Sayo assumed she also had her reasons for leaving, but this wasn’t the time to pry. 

Tears started forming in her eyes as she looked around the room. They may have had their own reasons but her friends and family had come together and taken a huge leap of faith for her. 

“Looks like you finally realised it,” tears ran down Sayo’s face as she looked up at Lisa, who smiled softly back at her.

“Yeah,” she sniffled, “I can’t thank all of you enough.” Moving away wouldn’t bring about an end to all of their problems, she and Hina would never truly be free from the Family. But with everyone by her side, she was certain they could face whatever the future had to throw at them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're done! At least for now, I have some ideas for what happens after and for what is effectively the inciting incident of this story but I'm not sure if they're good enough to warrant writing down. Thanks for sticking around for the entire ride, I hoped you enjoyed it. It mutated into something I didn't quite expect when I started it but I had fun writing it all the same!
> 
> As always, comments are appreciated.


End file.
